


Yule (Accompany Me)

by Haywire



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-21
Updated: 2012-12-21
Packaged: 2017-11-21 21:56:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/602492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Haywire/pseuds/Haywire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Christmas time at the newly christened Avengers Tower! Thor throws himself into the holiday and attempts to get everyone into the festive spirit while Tony drags his heels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yule (Accompany Me)

**Author's Note:**

> Written for coindu for the Avengers Holiday Fic & Media Exchange on LJ. Set in the movie 'verse after the end of the film. Hope you like it! :)

The newly renovated Stark Tower, rechristened as the Avengers Tower after their epic battle with the Chitauri, was lit up like a Christmas tree. That wasn't just a figure of speech, either, as the arc reactor powered lights throughout the building were configured to resemble an actual Christmas tree; green lights were placed in a tree-like shape around the edges with various other coloured 'bulbs' throughout, topped off with additional lights surrounding the gigantic 'A' to make it look like a star.

Inside the Christmas spirit was slowly building momentum. Pepper had coordinated the holiday decorations throughout the interior of the building, much to Tony's chagrin, and even the tower's newest residents were starting to get in on the act. The redesign had allocated quarters for each member of the Avengers, dedicating an entire floor for their living space, and all of them were currently in residence. Tony and Pepper lived at the top, of course, and the rest of the Avengers were one floor below them. Natasha's suite was the first one off of the elevator, followed by Clint's, Thor's, Bruce's, and finally Steve's room. There were wreaths hanging on each of their doors, having been put together and hung there by Captain America himself. There was also a Christmas tree put up in the floor's common area, along with stockings hanging over the fireplace in the same area.

Thor, who had not long returned from Asgard after escorting his brother Loki back there as a prisoner, was perplexed by the decorations. Upon his return he presented himself to the top floor, searching out Tony.

"Ho there, Stark. Were you aware that there are several shrubberies growing in the building?"

"Shrubberies?" Tony repeated. "First you must being me the shrubbery!" he effected in his best Monty Python impersonation, which wasn't really all that good. Pepper, who was standing beside him, elbowed him in the side.

"You... desire me to fetch the shrubbery? I am afraid I do not follow." Thor said, frowning at the pair.

"It's a joke, big guy." Tony quipped, gently patting the Asgardian's giant bicep. "Try and keep up now, ok?" He pointed at Thor as he walked past him backwards, then turned around as he continued onward.

"Those are Christmas decorations, Thor." Pepper interjected after rolling her eyes at Stark. "It's a tradition we have here, to celebrate the holidays."

"I am not familiar with this particular custom." Thor rubbed his chin, frowning after Tony and then turning to Pepper. "This... Christmas, is it perchance related to Yule?"

"Yule is another word used in other parts of the world for winter festivities, yes." she replied. "Is that something you celebrate in Asgard?"

"Indeed it is!" Thor exclaimed. "Yule is my favourite holiday!" He clapped his hands together. "This is most excellent news, for I feared my return to Earth meant missing our Yule festivities!"

"Well, Christmas isn't exactly identical to Yule..." cautioned Pepper.

"Truly? How so?"

"Yule find out." Tony said as he walked back past the pair, a piece of hardware now clutched in one hand. "Wait, I can do better than that." He coughed and thought for a second. "Let me show Yule. No, that's no good either." Tony's eyes went wide as he looked at his girlfriend. "Pepper, I fear I might be losing my touch."

"It's a Christmas miracle." she said with a smirk.

"Verily, 'tis a miracle if there is a celebration to be had here!" Thor grinned. "I shall round up the others then and we can begin!"

"Whoa, hold on there blondie. We're still got work to do here and-" Stark began.

"And you also have a CEO who's completely and totally capable of handling things while you take a break." Pepper interrupted. "Go on, you deserve it."

"But-"

"I deserve it, then." she added.

"It is done then!" Thor stormed off to the elevator to notify the others of the impending proceedings before anyone else could speak.

"If his excessive amount of holiday spirit causes the Jolly Green Giant to become not so jolly, it's on you." Tony sighed in resignation.

"Have fun, don't stay out too late." Pepper kissed him on the cheek and then headed off to take care of business in his stead.

*****

Once Tony arrived in the common area downstairs he found that Thor had already gathered up the others. Clint and Natasha were standing off to one side exchanging glances, with Natasha wearing a Santa hat and looking none too pleasant about it. On Asgardian's other side stood Bruce and Steve, both of them hanging up garland across the wall under Thor's direction.

"Yes, yes, that's good. Raise it up a little on your end, Captain." Thor turned when he heard Tony enter. "Metal man! Welcome to our Yuletide festivities!"

Stark frowned as he took in the scene. "You're all still here?"

"It's not like I had anywhere else to go." said Clint with a shrug.

"Me either, and besides, Russia's not exactly all that attractive this time of the year." added Natasha.

"I'm not welcome anywhere else but here, really." said Bruce.

"Everyone I know... knew... isn't available." Steve awkwardly finished, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Tony Stark's Orphanage, ladies and gentlemen, brought to you by SHIELD." Tony deadpanned.

"Fear not, my friends, for we shall still have a very festive Yule!" Thor clapped his hands together. "Now, where is the Yule goat?"

"The what now?" said Steve. "Is that some newfangled Christmas thing?"

"No, Steve, I think he said goat." replied Natasha.

"Well, that's new to me. Yule goat?" Clint looked over to Tony.

"Hey, don't look at me." Stark raised his hand up. "Is that something you... traditionally eat in Asgard, or... is it a ride of some sort? Either way that's not how we roll here, Goldilocks."

"It's an ancient Norse tradition, actually." Bruce piped up, looking around at the group. "Thor's chariot was drawn by two goats, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr, and it's believed that's the connection to having the goat figures, to represent an invisible spirit that ensured Yule preparations were properly done." All of them turned to look at Thor.

"Ah, Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjostr, I have not laid eyes on them in quite some time. And it is true that I am fond of organizing the Yule festivities." Thor returned their looks with raised eyebrows. "Shall we construct the goat now, then?"

"Afraid we don't have a permit for that." said Tony.

"How do you even build a goat anyway?" asked Clint, scratching his head.

"Traditionally they're made out of straw," Bruce replied. "Though I suppose in a pinch they could be made out of other materials. Perhaps-"

"Bruce, don't encourage him." Natasha reached up and removed her hat, tossing it onto a nearby chair.

"No, this is good." Steve jumped into the conversation, walking over to the chair and plucking the hat up out of it. "Christmas is good, it's the happiest time of the year. At least it should be, instead of what it seems to be this day and age." He pointed to a flatscreen television that was mounted on the wall nearby.

Whatever television program was airing at the moment was currently on a commercial break, which was a typical bombastic Christmas toy commercial. That was quickly followed by a very similar advertisement for another product, using the holiday as an excuse to cash in and make money. Before a third one could finish Steve picked up the remote control and switched the set off.

"Ever since my... reawakening, if you want to call it that, I've been equal parts mystified and mortified by modern day advertising." he continued. "Especially during the holidays. Frankly it's shameful and so... un-American, at least to me."

"Didn't you have ads back in your day, gramps?" Tony quipped. "This can hardly be new to you, am I right?"

"We did but not like this." said Steve.

"He's got a point, guys. The commercialization of Christmas really is pretty ridiculous when you think about it, even over the last decade or two." Hawkeye added. "I can't imagine how overwhelming the difference must seem to someone like Cap here."

"Anyway, my point is that Thor's right. We need to celebrate Christmas like we used to do, not like the rampant commercialized cash grab its become." He turned to the Asgardian. "Perhaps not exactly like Yule, but there must be some overlap that we can focus on together?"

"I cannot pretend that I am not disappointed that there is no Yule goat." Thor remarked with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Have we a Yule boar at least?" He looked expectantly at Tony.

"Is that b-o-r-e or b-o-a-r, for the record?" asked Tony. "I believe Bruce has the former covered but I'm afraid we have neither the straw version nor the live version of the latter. Again, didn't know and haven't requested a permit, so."

"Ham, Tony." replied Natasha. "He means ham."

"Which I believe Stark has covered in spades." Clint quipped.

"Oh. Well, that we can arrange." said Tony, ignoring Hawkeye's remark. "Why didn't you just say Christmas ham?"

"Excellent! If we shall have a Yule boar awaiting upon our return then I suggest we go a-wassailing!" Thor looked expectantly around the room at them all, his smile lessening when there was no immediate reaction. "You all have no idea what that means either, I take it."

"I know-" Bruce started, raising his hand before everyone glared at him.

"Caroling, correct?" Captain America queried, stopping short of proclaiming that he got that reference. "That's actually a great idea. We used to do it all the time back home."

"A little too Dickensian for me." Tony shook his head.

"I don't know, Stark." Natasha pondered, walking over to Steve and taking the Santa Claus hat from him. "The whole Iron Man armour colour scheme... I can see it." She smirked and put the hat on his head.

Clint snickered at the sight, crossing his arms and putting a hand up over his face in an attempt to hide his laughter, while Bruce made no such efforts and laughed out loud.

"Then it is settled!" Thor thundered. "We shall have a Yule boar prepared in our absence to be consumed on our return, and, goat or no goat, we shall go and spread our Yuletide joy in song!"

"I think Tony would make an excellent goat." Bruce chimed in with a smirk. "Just sayin'."

"Mutiny, that's what this is." Tony muttered, blowing his breath to shift the fuzzy white ball of the Santa hat out of his face, only to have it fall back into the exact same position.

"No mutiny, Tony. The Avengers are a democratic group, so let's take a vote. Everyone who wants to go caroling, raise your hand." Steve raised his own hand and looked around at the other Avengers, who had all raised their hands except for one. They all turned to face Tony.

"Bah humbug."

*****

Once they voted, Thor had the perfect suggestion for where they could start. They had access to one of SHIELD's quinjets at the tower and they boarded it, using its supersonic speed to reach their destination in little time.

The New Mexico heat was stifling, especially for those in costume. Bruce and Steve had gone the most out of their way, both taking the dressing up for caroling idea seriously. Bruce, taking Tony's Dickensian joke and running with it, sported a stovepipe hat and an old double breasted suit, complete with a ridiculous Christmas themed tie. Captain America had opted for his normal red, white, and blue outfit, accented with an elf's hat, gloves, and boots, all complete with several jingling bells, and the finishing touch of garland running completely around his shield. Natasha and Clint pleaded having to uphold their reputation as SHIELD agents and were simply garbed in civilian clothing with a Santa hat each, while Thor wore his regular Asgardian clothing - Yule was an Asgard holiday so he insisted he was in fact dressed up, technically - and a headband which dangled a piece of mistletoe over his head.

"Are we ready?" asked Steve.

"As we'll ever be." answered Clint.

"I shall ring the doorbell then!" Thor exclaimed, reaching out and mashing the doorbell button with his thumb. After a few seconds someone came and opened the door.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" they yelled, Thor's voice practically drowning out everyone else's, especially Clint and Natasha's less than enthusiastic chants.

Darcy, who had opened the door, opened her eyes wide at the sight, throwing her arms around Thor and kissing him.

"Who's at the..." Jane came into view, pausing at the sight with a smirk. "door."

"Jane!" Thor grabbed Darcy with both hands and extricated himself from her embrace. "I come bearing tidings of joy! Merry Christmas and a very happy Yule!"

"He came bearing mistletoe, it's not my fault!" Darcy was quick to explain.

"Uh-huh, I bet it's not." Jane crossed her arms, leaning against the door frame as Darcy stammered and tried to defend herself.

"We also come a-wassailing, hark! Here our voices!" Thor turned around and gestured for the others to get ready before producing a pitch pipe. After blowing into the device, he cleared his throat and lead the singing.

"You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry! You'd better not pout, I'm telling you why!" bellowed Thor, glancing at the lyrics Steve had written out for him.

"Santa Claus is coming to town." sang Natasha and Clint in harmony.

"He's making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice!" rang out Captain America's solid baritone.

"Santa Claus us coming to town." repeated Natasha and Clint, this time with a little more enthusiasm.

"He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake," soloed Bruce, in a near flawless tenor voice, taking everyone by surprise. "He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!"

There was an extra few bars of silence as everyone just stared at Bruce before Steve jumpstarted the song again.

"You'd... you'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, better not pout I'm telling you why,"

"Santa Claus is coming... to tooooooooown!" Everyone jumped in for the last line, with Bruce's voice dominating. As they held the last note, a sonic boom could be heard and suddenly Tony appeared, roaring toward them. As he drew closer his Santa outfit became more and more visible, along with the sack he had slung over one of his shoulders.

"Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas." Tony's less than excited voice rang out as he got near, and he capped off the presentation with a fireworks display from his shoulder mounted rocket launchers. Red and green lights popped and exploded for several seconds before fizzling out, and Tony landed gracefully beside Thor. "There, are you happy?"

"Quite, yes!" Thor clapped Iron Man on the shoulder, staggering the man slightly. "Happy Holidays to one and all!" This time he pulled Jane to him for a kiss, and then one by one they all entered the building for some eggnog and Christmas cookies, all except for Santa.

"'Great job Tony!' 'Yeah, perfect entrance!' 'Thank you for being Santa Claus, Tony!' said no one." he quipped. Tony sighed and shook his head before heading inside to join his teammates. "You are all on the naughty list next year for the record."


End file.
